Rubber pad



Patented VyNov. 11, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE vRUBBER PAD Le RoyM. Bickett, Watertown, Wis.

Application July 10, 1950, Serial No. 172,929

2 claims. l

This invention relates to rubber pads for use primarily as sleeping padsor mattresses although other uses are contemplated.

Rubber pads lack the requisite softness and fail to provide the comfortdesired for satisfactory use as sleeping pads or mattresses. This isalso true of those composed of socalled sponge or foam rubber, because,as heretofore designed, they rely entirely upon the naturalcompressibility of these materials which alone is inadequate to providethe extent or depth of yield required for sleeping comfort.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved rubber padso constructed as to materially increase the capacity to yield undercompressive load.

Other more specific objects and advantages will appear, expressed orimplied, from the following description of an illustrative embodiment ofthe invention.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a rubber cushionconstructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan View with parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the cushion slightlycompressed.

The pad shown is formed of sponge or foam rubber and comprises top andbottom layers I and II separated by a series of laterally spaced uprightribs I2 traversing the same. The pad is preferably closed by suitableend and side walls I3 and I4.

The several ribs I2 are specially shaped so that each has a tendency tobend or buckle under a compressive load. ln this instance the upper halfI2a of each is slightly inclined from the vertical for this purpose,while the lower half I2b is similarly inclined in an opposite direction.so that the mid-portion of each rib is laterally offset with respect tothe point of juncture thereof with the top and bottom layers l0 and IIof the pad. As a result of this shape, the mid-portion of each rib I2has a tendency to deflect laterally under compressive load, as indicatedin Fig. 4, thereby substantially reducing the resistance offered by eachrib against compressive deformation of the pad. This results in a highdegree of compressibility and consequent softness not otherwiseattainable. o

The several ribs I2 are preferably uniformly shaped and dimensioned andalso, preferably equally spaced a distance substantially equal to theirwidth so that. as they approach a condition of maximum deflection, eachmeshes or interfolds With adjacent ribs in a manner to ultimately ll thespace between the upper and lower layers Il) and I I; and when thiscondition is reached, further compression is possible by reason of thenatural compressibility of the material itself, as in an ordinary pad.The pad shown is therefore compressible in two stages, the first stageresulting from lateral deflection of the ribs, and the second stageresulting from compression of the material in the pad.

The pad shown is preferably produced by molding the same in separateupper and lower sections of identical form, and thereafter inverting andapplying one section on the other, the two sections being securedtogether by a suitable adhesive applied to the mating faces thereof. Asuitable fabric covering I5 may be cemented or otherwise attached to theexposed faces of the pad.

Various changes may be made in the embodiment of the pad hereinabovespecifically described without departing from or sacrificing theadvantages of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a resilient pad the combination of upper and lower layers ofresilient material, a series of similarly shaped laterally spacedsubstantially parallel ribs of resilient material interconnecting andspacing said layers, each of said ribs being bent to provide a laterallyoffset intermediate portion biasing the same/to deflect laterally in thedirection of said offset under compressive load applied to the pad, thespaces between said ribs being of a width and shape substantiallysimilar to said ribs so as to freely accommodate rib deflections and topermit said ribs to deflect into interfolded relation with adjacentribs.

2. In a resilient pad the combination of upper and lower layers ofresilient material, each layer having a series of similarly shapedlaterally spaced substantially parallel ribs of resilient material eachprojecting therefrom into edge-toedge contact with a corresponding ribof the other layer, theribs of one series being sloped in one directionand those of the other series in the opposite direction, and the edge ofeach rib of one series being joined to the contacting edge of acorresponding rib of the other series to form a series of flexurallyresilient rib-like structures yieldably sustaining said layers in.spaced relation.

LE ROY M. BICKE'I'T.

(References on following page) REFERENCES CITED The following referencesare of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,628,090 Weiss May 10, 19271,887,310 King et a1 Nov. 8, 1932 2,433,012 Zalicovtz Dec. 23, 1947FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 376,937 Great Britain July 18, 1932OTHER REFERENCES Ser. No. 383,860, Sluyter, (A. P. C.), published May11, 1943.

1. IN A RESILIENT PAD THE COMBINATION OF UPPER AND LOWER LAYERS OFRESILIENT MATERIAL, A SERIES OF SIMILARLY SHAPED LATERALLY SPACEDSUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL RIBS OF RESILIENT MATERIAL INTERCONNECTING ANDSPACING SAID LAYERS, EACH OF SAID RIBS BEING BENT TO PROVIDE A LATERALLYOFFSET INTERMEDIATE PORTION BIASING THE SAME TO DEFLECT LATERALLY IN THEDIRECTION OF SAID OFFSET UNDER COMPRESSIVE LOAD APPLIED TO THE PAD, THESPACES BETWEEN SAID RIBS BEING OF A WIDTH AND SHAPE SUBSTANTIALLYSIMILAR TO SAID RIBS SO AS TO FREELY ACCOMODATE RIB DEFLECTIONS AND TOPERMIT SAID RIBS TO DEFLECT INTO INTERFOLDED RELATION WITH ADJACENTRIBS.